Method of tying a rebar tie

ABSTRACT

Method for Tool Free Rebar Tie—A method for securing rebar prior to concrete pour. The method consists of tying by hand, in a series of unique steps, a piece of 16 gauge steel wire with 2 inch loops on either end around the rebar at joints where the rebar sections come together. This method is used in place of a mechanical system as required in prior art, and requires no tools or other devices. Application of the method is up to 4 times faster and twice as strong when compared to the methods currently in use, providing substantial savings in manpower and time on any construction job where reinforced concrete is required. Being entirely manipulated by hand, this method produces an extraordinary and unexpected result over the prior art.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The inventive method relates generally to construction jobs wherereinforced concrete is poured and specifically to the method of securingrebar sections where they come together while constructing a grid toreinforce the concrete once it has been poured. When an application ofconcrete for construction requires more strength than the concreteitself offers, the concrete is reinforced by laying a grid of steel rodsin the void prior to pouring the concrete. At any point where the rods(called rebar) intersect, a wire is wrapped around the joint so the rodsdo not move during the pour. The basic method for applying this wire haschanged little over the years. A piece of wire with small loops at eachend is placed around the rebar joint. Then the loops are secured to thepegs of a tool and the tool wraps the wire a single time around thejoint, securing it in place. In the alternative, wire is hand fed off aroll, cut with pliers, generally wrapped around the intersection thenhand twisted tight into place with pliers.

Either process is cumbersome on the job site, especially when theconstruction worker is wearing gloves to protect his hands. Theinventive method removes the necessity for a tool to be used at all byenlarging the loops on the ends of the small wire so the worker canplace his fingers, even with gloves on, through the loops on the end ofthe wire, and providing a series of steps to wrap the wire twice aroundthe rebar. In addition, wire ends are twisted and trimmed so closely nodanger to bare hands exists. Application of this method is up to 4 timesfaster and twice as strong as the method currently in use, providingsubstantial savings in manpower and time for any construction job wherereinforced concrete is required.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

A complete search of the patent records reveals a single patent relatedto this specific task. A patent from November of 1915, U.S. Pat. No.1,158,957 by Adelmer M. Bates (hereinafter “Bates”) protects a wire withsmall loops with adhesive material in the loops which is used with toolsin the traditional method of tying rebar. The instant method, beingentirely manipulated by hand, produces an extraordinary and unexpectedresult over the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the forgoing inefficiency inherent in the present method, theinventive method increases time and labor savings on any constructionsite where reinforced concrete is required.

The general purpose of the instant method, which shall be describedsubsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved method ofsecuring rebar in a grid prior to a concrete pour that has theadvantages over the current methods mentioned heretofore and novelfeatures that result in more efficient wire ties to secure the rebarreinforcements which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested oreven implied by any of the prior art systems, either alone or incombination thereof.

To attain this, the present method provides a series of steps combinedwith a unique section of wire 8 to 12 inches long having two largeloops, one at either end, allowing the user to attach the wire to therebar faster and without the use of a mechanical device.

A primary object of the present method is to provide an improvement inefficiency joining rebar without the need of tools or mechanical devicesto form a grid in reinforced concrete construction projects that willovercome the shortcomings of the prior art.

The prior art consists exclusively of a single patent, granted in 1915.U.S. Pat. No. 1,158,957 was granted to Aldemer Bates, (hereinafter“Bates”) et al for a wire tie used for securing rebar in reinforcedconcrete projects. In that patent the inventor acknowledges that a pieceof wire with small loops on each end, where the small loops are used toattach the wire to a mechanical device, is the industry standard at thetime. Bates proposed, and was granted a patent for applying adhesivematerial to cover the area where the loops are twisted in order toprevent injury from scraping ones hands on the bare wire. It was the useof this adhesive covering that was the unique characteristic of Bates.

It should be noted, however, that Bates continued to envision the use ofa mechanical device to apply the wire to the rebar, and that the loopson the end of the wire were for the purpose of securing the wire to thattool. Bates invention was the adhesive covering to prevent injury.

In contrast to Bates, the instant method eliminates the need for a toolor other mechanical device entirely, instead increasing the size of theloops from very small to two inches in diameter so that the user mayplace fingers through the loops and providing specific steps to applythe wire by hand which is both faster and stronger than the previousindustry standard. Additionally there is no adhesive covering on theinstant device which would implicate a need for examination of Bates,instead wire ends are twisted and trimmed so closely no danger to barehands exists. The instant method, being entirely manipulated by hand,produces an extraordinary and unexpected result over the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Various other features and attendant advantages of the present inventionwill become fully appreciated as the same become better understood whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which likereference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout theseveral views. (All references to direction, ie up, down, counterclockwise, assume the operator is applying the tie from above the joint)

FIG. 1 is a top view of the Tie with specific listings of wire gauge andmaterial.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the Tie with specific listings of wire gaugeand material.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the Tie with specific listings of wire gaugeand material.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the wire placed over a rebar joint as the wireshould be placed to begin the tie as described in Step 1 of the tyingprocedure. Loops are marked A and B and arrows indicate downward motionfor the next step.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the wire has been pushed down over therebar as described in Step 2 of the tying procedure. Loops are marked Aand B and arrows indicate counter clockwise motion for the next step.

FIG. 6 is a top view showing the wire has been twisted tight below therebar as described in Step 3 of the tying procedure. Loops are marked Aand B and arrows indicate upward motion for the next step.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing the loops have been pulled up above therebar as described in Step 4 of the tying procedure. Loops are marked Aand B and arrows indicate counter clockwise motion for the next step.

FIG. 8 is a top view showing the loops have been twisted twice above therebar as described in Step 5 of the tying procedure. Loops are marked Aand B and arrows indicate downward motion for the next step.

FIG. 9 is a top view showing the loops have been pushed down below therebar as described in Step 6 of the tying procedure. Loops are marked Aand B.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(All references to direction, ie up, down, counter clockwise, assume theoperator is applying the tie from above the joint) Turning now to thefirst image, FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a tie to join rebarsections in reinforced concrete projects, said tie consisting of asingle section of 16 gauge steel wire with a 2 inch diameter loop ateach end. The single section is between 8 and 12 inches long to allowfor different size rebar which may be found on construction sites.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the Tie with specific listings of wire gaugeand material as described in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the Tie with specific listings of wire gaugeand material as described in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 begins to show the tying process.

Step 1) Lay Y Knot diagonal across rebar intersection.

FIG. 5:

Step 2) Push Y Knot loops straight down beneath rebar intersection

FIG. 6:

Step 3) Twist the Y Knot loops counter clockwise under the rebar 180degrees. Release Y Knot loops and regrip from above twisting tightly YKnot 90 degrees counter clockwise beneath rebar intersection.

FIG. 7:

Step 4) Pull up Y Knot loops on opposite empty rebar intersectioncorners.

FIG. 8:

Step 5) Twist Y Knot loops 180 degrees twice tight. Twist tight

FIG. 9:

Step 6) Tuck Y Knot loops down and away.

Generally the user wraps the wire around the rebar joint (anyplace wherethe two pieces of rebar intersect) and using the loops as fingerholds,twists the wire tightly around the joint to secure the rebar and ensureintegrity of the grid so the rebar does not move when the concrete ispoured. This method for tying the unique tie with large loops forfingers, produces an extraordinary and unexpected result over the priorart.

I claim:
 1. A method for securing rebar prior to concrete pour consisting of tying completely by hand, in a series of unique steps, a piece of 16 gauge steel wire with 2 inch loops on either end around the rebar intersections. This method increases the efficiency for securing the rebar sections, being up to 4 times faster per tie and twice as strong than the traditional method, while eliminating the need for tools or other mechanical devices. The method is illustrated by the figures included in this application as follows. (All references to direction, ie up, down, counter clockwise, assume the operator is applying the tie from above the joint) 